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Heyman On Rangers, Phillies, Draft

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The latest from Jon Heyman of SI.com (all links go to Twitter):

  • Other than the Indians, the Rangers were the only team that told Grady Sizemore he’d play center field, according to Heyman. The outfielder re-signed in Cleveland today for a base salary of $5MM with up to $4MM in incentives.
  • The Phillies were a “strong option” for Sizemore, but they wanted him in left field, Heyman reports.
  • Heyman has future slot recommendations for amateur draft picks. MLB recommends a bonus of $7.2MM for the first overall pick and the recommendations decrease to $6.2MM, $5.2MM, $4.2MM, $3.5MM and $3.2MM for picks #2-6. The final selection of the first round will have a recommended bonus of $1.6MM. Given the penalties for teams that surpass MLB's recommended bonuses, Stephen Strasburg's $15.1MM deal will probably remain a record for a while.
  • MLBTR has details on, analysis of and reaction to the CBA.

Royals To Sign Bruce Chen

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Piece by piece, the Royals' rotation is taking shape. They have agreed to sign Bruce Chen to a two-year deal worth $9MM. The deal also includes a $1MM roster bonus and up to $1MM in incentives.

Before agreeing to terms with Chen, Royals GM Dayton Moore told Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that he is looking to add one or two more pitchers to compete with their internal candidates. Left-handers Jonathan Sanchez, Danny Duffy and Chen join right-handers Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino in the projected 2012 rotation at this point and relievers Aaron Crow and Everett Teaford could also transition to the rotation. Though Moore has already added two arms this offseason, the Royals lack top-of-the-rotation starters and may continue to pursue trades for available pitching.

Chen posted a 3.77 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 155 innings for the Royals this past season. The Royals offered the 34-year-old Scott Boras client arbitration earlier today, which means they would have obtained a compensatory draft pick had he accepted one of his other offers. 

Jon Heyman of SI.com first reported the agreement (Twitter links) after Dutton reported that the sides were nearing a deal.

Minor Moves: Eric Fryer, Mariners

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Here are today's minor moves…

Quick Hits: Street, Garza, Red Sox, Sizemore

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Some links to check out as we await tonight's 11pm central time arbitration deadline…

  • Though teams are interested, there's nothing imminent regarding a trade of Huston Street, tweets Troy Renck of The Denver Post.  A source also tells Renck that the Rockies have not spoken with the Cubs about Matt Garza.
  • The Red Sox won’t reach a decision on their new manager before tomorrow, a team source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
  • Indians GM Chris Antonetti doesn't expect Grady Sizemore to play 150-160 games next year, but does think that the center fielder will play the "vast majority of games" in 2012, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer.

Blue Jays Claim Brian Jeroloman

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Less than a week after losing Brian Jeroloman on waivers, the Blue Jays have re-claimed him.  The team announced that it has claimed the 26-year-old catcher from the Pirates.  Toronto's 40-man roster now has one open spot.

The Pirates claimed Jeroloman off of waivers from Toronto on Friday but designated the catcher for assignment on Monday to make room for the newly-acquired Clint Barmes.  In 318 Triple-A plate appearances this year, Jeroloman hit .240/.335/.295.

Royals, Bruce Chen Progressing Toward Deal

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The Royals appear to be progressing toward a new contract with Bruce Chen, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. The Royals have offered Chen, a Type B free agent, arbitration in anticipation of tonight’s deadline for teams to offer deals to ranked free agents.

“I know he wants to be here, and we want him here,” GM Dayton Moore told Dutton. “The feeling is mutual. We’d like to get something done before the Winter Meetings. I think we’re getting closer.”

Chen appears to be asking for a two-year deal worth more than $10MM, according to Dutton. He has already obtained multiyear offers this offseason. The 34-year-old Scott Boras client posted a 3.77 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 155 innings for the Royals this past season. Moore says the Royals are looking to add one or two more pitchers to compete with their internal candidates, even after trading for left-hander Jonathan Sanchez.

CBA Reactions

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Yesterday, MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith broke down ten key aspects of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  More reactions to the changes…

  • Pirates president Frank Coonelly commented to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Is this everything the Pittsburgh Pirates hoped it would be? No.  But we don't subscribe to the notion it was aimed at us."  Even so, the Pirates' large draft expenditures of the last several years will be curbed in years to come.
  • The Nationals helped create the new landscape with draft spending limits, writes Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com.
  • Many free agents became more attractive to the Red Sox with the new CBA, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, as they are loathe to surrender draft picks.
  • Franchise values are reduced by the draft spending limits, agent Scott Boras tells Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
  • Bubba Starling's name came up multiple times during bargaining sessions, writes Yahoo's Jeff Passan, as the union was concerned teams will no longer be able to buy players out of other sports.  The Royals lured Starling away from football for $7.5MM this year.
  • One GM sees "massive problems" created by the new CBA, telling Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, "Competitive balance is going to get progressively worse." 
  • There was some shock among GMs at the $2.9MM cap on international signings, writes ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • Dave Cameron of FanGraphs says MLB reduced the chances that small-market teams will be able to build long-term winners because it made winning "a lot more about Major League payroll size than anything else."
  • Though Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com gives players and owners credit for completing the CBA peacefully, he believes the new regulations surrounding the draft and international amateurs are a minus.

Free Agent Arbitration Offer Tracker

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Today's free agent arbitration offer decisions encompass 20 teams and 57 players.  To help you monitor who's received an arbitration offer and who hasn't, check out our free agent arbitration offer tracker throughout the day.  You can filter by team, free agent type, and whether the player was offered.  The deadline is 11pm central time.

Please note that in the tracker I have marked Matt Capps, Francisco Cordero, Octavio Dotel, Ramon Hernandez, and Darren Oliver as having received arbitration offers even though they technically will not.  As part of the new CBA, MLB and the players association agreed that these five players will change from Type A to B and the clubs will not have to offer arbitration to receive compensation.  For the purposes of the tracker, I consider that an automatic arbitration offer, since compensation will still happen.

Matt Klentak Named Angels Assistant GM

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The Angels announced Matt Klentak was hired as an assistant GM, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times.  ESPN's Keith Law first reported the likely move.  Klentak served as director of baseball operations for the Orioles since 2008.  Klentak was named one of our top 20 GM candidates in August, and you can read Ben Nicholson-Smith's interview with him here.  The Halos hired the first person on our list, Jerry Dipoto, as their new GM in October.

Twins Looking To Acquire A Closer

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Glen Perkins doesn't have the experience to pitch the ninth inning for the Twins in 2012, GM Terry Ryan told reporters on the Ryan Doumit conference call today when asked.  Ryan says the Twins will look to acquire a closer.  

We learned yesterday that the Twins still have interest in Matt Capps as their closer, while Joe Nathan is off the board after signing a two-year deal with the Rangers.  As our free agent tracker shows, closers Heath Bell, Jonathan Broxton, Francisco Cordero, Frank Francisco, Ryan Madson, Jon Rauch, and Francisco Rodriguez remain on the market.  Andrew Bailey, Brandon League, and Huston Street are trade candidates, and Juan Carlos Oviedo (formerly Leo Nunez) could be non-tendered.

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